Territory



Patented Feb. 28,1882.

EQSTAHL.

ORE 'GONUENTRATOR.

H (No Model.)

l I E YNITED STATES.

PATENT" OFFICE.

EDWARD STAIIL, OF PRESCOTT, ARIZONA TERRITORY.

ORE-CONCENTRATQR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,173, dated February 28, 1882.

' Application filed December 3, 18 81. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, EDWARD STAHL, of Prescott, county of Yavapai, Arizona Territory, have invented an Improved Concentrator; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a new and useful concentrator forores; and it consists in a passage or channelin open. relation with a series of chambers. below'said channel, having at one end an inletfor 'a stream or head of water, and at the other an outlet therefor, and having also atits former end a hopperin open relation therewith, through which the ore is fed to the flowing stream below.

For a more particular description of the device, together with its objects and ad vantages, I now refer to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section.

The device is intended to be used for the separation of minerals of various specific 'gravities, whether they 'be auriferous sands, crushed or pulverized ores of any kind, tailings, amalgams, with slime, &c.; but for the purpose of my description I will use the most common case, as follows:

In whatis known as auriferons earth, sand, and gravel the precious particles are so mingled with the worthless that they cannotprofitably be separated, except by a process known as concentration. The precious particles have greater specific gravity than the worthless ones, and therefore the usual plan is to treat them both to a flow of water, in which the lighter pass away, while the former remain, or, as itis called, are concentrated. This is the object of my invention.

A represents a channel, having in one end, opening into it, the upright passage or funnel A. This may be of any suitable height to obtain the required head of water. Into thetop of the channel Aopens a hopper, B, just be hind the funnel A. This hopper has in its top a small discharge-channel, e. The rear end of the main channel A is open, as shown at d, but is adapted to be regulated by a sliding gate or plate, E, which by-its adjustment makes larger or smaller the open end and regulates theflow of water.

Under'the passage A are the chambers C. These are separated from each other by partitions, as shown, but all open into the main channel A above through the openings 0. These chambersmay be as much wider than the channel above as desired. They may have any capacity, but should in any case be large therefrom may be passed over all of said chambers.

The operation of the device ,is as follows: Water is poured into the top of the funnel A, and the discharge end at being made smaller than the entrance, the water soon rises npinto the hopper B to the rim, at which height it is to be retained. It fills all the chambers G, in which, and in the hopper it is in a state ofcomparative rest. The current passes through the main channel A and the water flows out at 61. By the adjustable gate E the water can be regulated in its flow so that it may always keep the hopper B full. When the water is passingthrough and the hopper B full the oreis fed into the hopper,when an y light substancessuch as chips of wood, scum, &c.-will remain on top. and can be floated otf through the channel 0. The ore sinks through the hopper into the channelAbelow. Hereit encounters the current of the stream, and portions of it are carried by it to different distances. By this means separation of the precious'or heavier particles from the worthless or lighter occurs. According to their respective densities they will be carried onward by the current, those having the greater specific gravity settling down at once into the first of the series of compartments or chambers G, and so on, while the very lightest and most worthless are carried away through the. end d. The water in the hopper being calm allows the ore to settle down easily to the current. Here all the particles are deflected and caused to move forward, the heaviest ones passing through the current quickly. After passing through, and all according to their density finding themselves over the chambers, they settle down in calm water again, where they cannot be carried off. When necessary these concentrations may be removed by opening the plugs D in the bottoms of the chambers.

The device may be made of any length to suit the treatment of the ore in hand. Those ores in which the precious particles are fine and light will require a lou ger machine, so that there will be time enough for the concentrations to settle. The only limit to the capacity of the device is the amountof water obtainable.

The flow or current may be regulated to a nicety by the sliding gate E, and as this makes the discharge greater or less the supply at A will of course have to be governed accordingly, so that the hopper B will be always full enough to float the scum gently through the channel 6.

The capacity of the machine may be increased by widening it to almost any extent. The longer and wider and higher the channel A the better the working of the machine, because of the time afforded for the separation of the precious from the worthless.

Where the water is scarce the'diseharge from d may be caught and used over again. By

having the series of compartments G,the concentrations will be graded according to the difierent densities of the particles. This is a great advantage, as the lighter silver ores will be found with the light extraneous matter.

I am aware that a channel having a feeding funnel and a discharge and opening into a series of compartments beneath said channelin a concentrator is not new, and hence I make no claim to them combined.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The channel or passage A, having the funnel A and hopper B, in open connection therewith, as shown, and the discharge :1, with its adjustable gate E,in combination with the series of chambers or compartments 0 under said channel A, and in open relation therewith, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

2. The ore -concentrator consisting of the channel A, with its funnel A, hopper B, and discharge (1, adjustable gate E, and the series of chambers 0 under said channel A, and in open relation therewith through openings 0, said chambers having the plugs D, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD STAHL.

' Witnesses:

E1). W. WELLs, "JOHN ABUSE. 

